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Samarkand
9567 http://i475.photobucket.com/albums/rr112/Mackensen/Interstellar%20Endeavor/7.png Humanity, under the direction of the Terran Federal Republic, was now flourishing more than ever as the Genetic Revolution was underway. With the implosion of new technologies, Earth’s economy began to boom. Taking advantage of the success of its government, numerous research facilities planet wide began to call for larger grants to expand their operations. They cited that they were the “frontiersmen of discovery”. Many of their requests were granted. Now there was no speck of space that was able to escape the gaze of astronomers that were exploiting technology in all ways possible, particularly astronomical arrays. Just as Sol craved expansion and material wealth, the Alpha Scientific and Analysis Research Center located just outside of Boulder City discovered an anomaly. Now hinted that something just may lay in the Sirius 2 system, the astronomers agreed to shift their resources to this one system. More in-depth research was then conducted into the system from the safety of their astronomical arrays. Other research facilities agreed to assist the Alpha Scientific and Analysis Research Center. By the end of the two month long study, they’d forward their 2567 – Report on Sirius 2 to the Ministry of Colonial Affairs, a section of Earth’s government that dedicated itself to exploring the unknown with the intention of discovering resources and safe areas in which to spread Human kind. Colonial Affairs would approve the findings and assign 3rd Naval Battalion, a group from the 1st Naval Fleet to be dispatched to the Sirius 2 system to investigate the anomaly. Arriving in the system, Fast Approach Probes were dispatched to scour the system for mineral wealth, hidden moons and other enigmas of the system as the Battalion approached Sirius B. What they would find would dazzle the imagination. One part of the planet was Hell reincarnated, on the other half was more chilled than the Russian tundra itself. These split opposites, in relief, didn’t apply to one region of the planet. It was a zone of dusk, a zone in which was fit for human needs. Despite the initial cheer for success, it was later discovered this ‘Twilight’ zone was subjugated to an endless dusk. Human survey teams were dispatched from the Terran Federal Republic War Frigate ‘Utopia’, the commanding vessel of the battalion, to the planet below. Soon the results began to pile in. For one, the air reeked of sulphur but was suitable for human needs. It was later discovered that long term exposure to the smell would lead to sickness such as headaches, irritation and stomach aches. As the land was scoured for resources it would be discovered the heated half of the planet (dubbed Hellfire), and the colder part of the planet (dubbed Frostfire) were both rich with resources, all of this discovered by automated drones that could safely venture into these dangerous regions. With other material wealth being discovered in asteroids within the same system, the planet was okay’d by Colonial Affairs to be colonized. Three months later the first colonists began to arrive equipped with their armies of machines, warehouses worth of supplies and the excitement worth many hundreds of entertainment parks. Colonial Affairs would dispatch Steven Kane to be the Colonial Governor of the new colony. 9568 http://i475.photobucket.com/albums/rr112/Mackensen/Interstellar%20Endeavor/1.png There was no hope to contain expansion. venture capitalists began to arrive at the planet, drawn to the idea of big profits. Wanting to empower their pockets, began to setup mining operations in the Frostfire region of the planet. It wouldn’t take long for these facilities to be staffed with workers and their families. Many worker bots were also imported. In total, the facilities numbered some four hundred people and nine hundred worker bots. At this time, the Hellfire region was only accessible with specially designed automated vehicles. These same outposts began to lay claim to nearby hotspots for resources and monopolize major supplies. Although their actions were completely illegal, the amount of revenue they began to generate was exploited to bribe Central authorities which lead to corruption on all levels. Special influence was secured to tie up the legal trials. And yet the planet seemed to show a cruel form of mercy for the innocents of Central as the Hellfire and Frostfire regions switched and great fires swept away all life and infrastructure in the before claimed ‘Frostfire’ region. Hellfire automated vehicles were frozen with the onslaught of cold weather. After communications to the outposts were dropped, teams were sent out with the intention to learn the fate of the communities. They discovered that the environment had completely changed, and the residents were confirmed to be killed satellite imagery revealed. This greatly yearly changed would be known as the “Passing of Seasons” when the Frostfire and Hellfire regions swapped locations. With these distant but nonetheless influential outposts now destroyed, as well as their commanding crooks killed, productivity of Central sharply rose 9.6% in the following months. This was largely credited to reduced corruption and a less monopolized market. But in honor to the citizens whom lost their lives to no fault of their own, the Sphere of Passing was constructed in a facility beneath Lake Muuno. 9632 http://i475.photobucket.com/albums/rr112/Mackensen/Interstellar%20Endeavor/6.png Land was the most valuable thing to colonists. This Twilight zone was the one realistic and efficient way to survive on Samarkand, and yet this golden zone was only as large as the Great Plains on Earth (USA). This idea of limited space would begin to play out as the number of offenders began to climb. Much of this crime was credited to the harsh working conditions, lack of moral institutions such as churches and community centers and other progressive attitudes. And yet, society began to foster a deep hatred towards his own kin forever committing a crime. Either stealing to murder they had no time to wastes, nor the space and resources to manage the product of its own evil. Unwilling to house these criminals in the Twilight zone, and unwilling to relocate them off planet due to the costs associated with it, the Colonial Governor announced he would be taking suggestions from any man or woman that had an idea of how to deal with the crowding prisons. After hundreds of suggestions piled in, the Governor was overwhelmed and allowed his secretaries to pick through the mess. Nikolai Gorodovikov, a retired army officer, suggested building a prison on the East side of the planet. It would only be accessible through an underground metro system. It stuck. Being hired as the prison’s founder, the Governor requested an army of field engineers from Earth. They arrived and began construction immediately. It would take five years of on and off construction, due to the immense funding, to be able to finish the project. In this time, 613 lives were lost due to poor management. The tunnel was later nicknamed the ‘Black Tunnel’. Some workers afterwards reported of seeing spirits. Their cases were at first ignored. But as they begin to commit inhumane crimes, these acts being detailed in the Black Tunnel Report of 9632, they were shipped off planet back to Earth to be placed into mental institutes. It is rumored that miners discovered an assortment of alien artifacts during their mission. These reports were never proven truth or false, and remain lore. Another 13 workers would commit suicide in these mental institutes. Strange losses aside, Prison Warden Gorodovikov would assume control of his new prison and install important systems that are used to this date. These systems include: a lockdown system that would activate all automated stun turrets in the facility to drop from the ceiling/rise from the floor an engage all non marked beings. The train being able to stop at a heart’s beat. For the tunnel to have reinforced gates drop down. Prison Warden Gorodovikov would pass away in his sleep at the age of eighty three. On that day, each prisoner, as according to his will, was granted a plastic bottle of wine. 9643 '''http://i475.photobucket.com/albums/rr112/Mackensen/Interstellar%20Endeavor/5.png In time more complex security systems were introduced, additional professional security officers hired, and the fame of the prison grew. It was renowned for its tough stance on resistors, but its more than fair approach to those that behave well. During this time, the Administration was suffering from tough financial times due to a bad last three years of mismanaging their financial assets. Budget cuts were being introduced that would, in the eyes of the acting Prison Warden, “threaten this facilities ability to house all criminals Samarkand.” Although his plea was initially denied, he drafted a proposal: to allow the facility to become an interstellar prison. It was a nerve wracking idea. Such a haunting, but tempting idea that the Council shut itself off from society for seven days. After their session, they announced the proposal would be sent to Earth. Arguing back and forth, Earth authorities, as well as Samarkand authorities eventually agreed to terms that were beneficial to both sides. As if by an act of divine intervention, the prison began to flourish and the planet’s coffers steadily recovered. Budget cuts were then tossed in the bin, and the security prison began to fill its many empty corridors with criminals of all color, age and crimes. '''9719 http://i475.photobucket.com/albums/rr112/Mackensen/Interstellar%20Endeavor/4.png 152 years after Kane’s arrival and the colony was seeded, the settlement had made spectacular progress. Samarkand was one of Earth’s more prosperous colonies and constantly had its name plastered across the Terran Federal Republic’s newspapers. The planet was advertised as a “final solution to unemployment and financial troubles”. Its advertisement campaigns would draw in huge amounts of crowds, and it made well on its promise to have every individual employed in at least two months time. There was only one downfall to this that was never mentioned: Samarkand wasn’t an ideal place to raise a family, despite initial claims. It was a corporate colony directed entirely of the interests of financial gain. Machinery prowled the wastelands day and night for easy extracts. Much of its population was involved in the dangerous mining industry. What little population wasn’t involved in mineral extraction, only could find jobs to become mechanics, technical operators, and some limited staff positions. This would lead a great upheaval of the planet wanting to usher in a new definition of the planet. Workers began to gather and form into a workers union, a once discouraged idea, was now stretching across the Twilight at troubling speed. Administrators began to crack down on these Unions by branding them as “Ravenous Socialists”, and “Enemies of the Free Market”. Unscaved, these Unions began to collaborate and would form the “Worker’s Union for Economic and Social Justice”, the WUESJ, usually dumb down to The Workers Union. For a long fourteen grueling years, the Worker’s Union and the Administration were constantly sharing their bitters defeats and joy some victories. One deciding author would publish her book titled “Amidst a Mechanical Demon”. In this book, the author would highlight his experiences as a miner and how a lack of safety regulations lead to mutilation. These copies began to fly off the shelves and soon reached Earth. There was such a high demand that outrage on Earth grew and Earth authorities dispatched regulatory agents, due to public scrutiny and pressure, to introduce new protocols and minimize on the ruthless free market style of the planet. Administrator Carol Realman would be immediately replaced by federal authorities, and the power shifted to Gabriel Werq, President of the Worker’s Union. Upon his replacement, the Samarkand Financial Reform of 9719 were into effect to introduce new regulations, minimal wage and other protocols to protect workers against their employees. 9765 http://i475.photobucket.com/albums/rr112/Mackensen/Interstellar%20Endeavor/3.png During a routine mining mission a Harvester fell through the earth and crashed into a cavern below while operating in the Frostfire region. Miners attached to the mining exploration division then call for immediate assistance. Arriving on the field was a scientific division headed by Michael Altman. Venturing into the cavern from safely repelling from the ceiling, they began to explore the unknown. Transferring through the winding tunnels and climbing down steep cliffs, they’d discover a field littered with fascinating objects that would pave the path to the holy grail of sorts. Nested against a bed of rich ore was an object that was unmistakably not a creation of nature, but something far more complex; something crafted by ancient sentinels. Its skin morphed and twisted to a single point, strange symbols etched into its hide as well, and an eerie red and black painted across it. Altman and his team began to analyze the strange object as they waited for Central to dispatch its recovery team. As it arrived, the team and its recovered artifact made their way back to Central. Depositing the strange artifact in the Central Analysis Center, a grossly under budgeted section of the government, the work began. Its message was unclear and drawn in a language made impossible for humans to understand. Altman and his team continued their research and picked up strange levels of radiation coming from the artifact. Undeterred, the mission to unravel its secrets continued. In time, the scientists would assign the name ‘Marker’ to the object. Some would report of strange dreams later. Others would swear to their mother’s grave that a kingdom of immortally rested in the Marker. Of course, other scientists discredited them. Three months into the project, Altman began to preach of the Marker, stating it was undisputable evidence that Humanity was the creation of another race entirely, and that the Marker hid messages from humanity. He also mentioned that the Marker was the gateway to eternal life. Altman was shot and killed by a man while giving at speech at town hall. His followers claimed that government had shut him up. 9812 http://browse.deviantart.com/?q=Mobster&order=9&offset=144#/d2uwmnp Now as the planet’s mineral wealth reserves closest to the surface began to dry up, the quickest way to snatch income, the Administration was bombarded with rumors of financial ruin. So to counter these worries they began to offer incentives to companies other than mining corporations. This was the first time to offer these incentives in the history of the planet. Monarch Shipyards at the time a mediocre Earth based ship building corporation, arrived at the promise of the good news. At first, Monarch Shipyards struggled against other businesses that too, like them, took up the Administration’s offer. Yet through a series of maneuvering, Monarch Industries was claimed the #2 ship building corporation in all of Samarkand in just a few years. Its shipping yards and lanes now littered the space above the planet. Business was good. And as mining industries improved on their techniques, the corporation had all of the needed resources as its disposal. And so began the final showdown between the Monarch Shipyards, and Red Steel Shipbuilders. It began with a spark as Monarch Industries snatched one of Red Steel’s largest trade partners. Both corporations began to engage in a public relations war and private dirty war as they fought for supremacy. Assassination missions. Legal trials. Hostile take over’s of resource hotspots. Both corporations used everything at their disposal to take shots at the other. As time went on and lives were lost, Monarch Shipyards declared victory over the corpse of the Red Steel Shipbuilders Corporation as its President died of a heart attack. Doctors credited this to too much stress. Criticizers called this an assassination. But whatever the opinions, the next President came to power and offered to meld into Monarch Shipyards for a sum of money .It was agreed, and Monarch Shipyards became the dominant ship building corporation on the planet. 9900 http://i475.photobucket.com/albums/rr112/Mackensen/Interstellar%20Endeavor/2.png Samarkand, with its worse days of attempting to find its place in this world, was on the track of progress without pause. Major improvements to the infrastructure began to be made by the Administration due to its large reserves of money. Central was improving on itself every day. New advanced methods to power the city were brought in. New surveillance systems were installed. Every speck of old technology was beginning to be replaced. This process began in 9885, but officially declared the Nanotech Revolution in 9900. This name was brought on as Earth discovered means to produce Nanobots in a cheap manner. This new technology was then imported and was integrated into society. Construction, medicine, genetic engineering and other industries were immediately improved and the quality of life on the planet skyrocketed.